Babbling in infants with cerebral palsy

This study quantitatively describes the babbling of eight 1-year-old infants with cerebral palsy. Ninety-minute samples of vocalizations were analysed in terms of the well-formedness of the syllables and phonetic structure of canonical syllables. The onset of canonical babbling was delayed in most subjects, all had restricted phonetic repertoires and produced monosyllabic utterances only. The importance of the development of controlled expiration to drive the speech system for babbling is highlighted. The findings challenge the robustness theories of babbling development, point to evidence of dysarthria in babbling, and justify early intervention. Methodological issues in the study of babbling are discussed, and suggestions for further research are offered.

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